Jersey’s Eastern Railway

Historian Johnathan Bull takes us on a circular walk around the St Clement route of the Eastern Railway, talking about its conception in 1873 and its demise in 1929, and calling in at Samarès Station, Pontorson Halt and Le Hocq Station. We will continue and follow the route to the Le Hocq bridge and cutting, with Pontac in the distance, and return to our start point along the beach.

Date: Saturday 13 July

Time: 10.00

Price: Free

Meet: In front of St Clement Parish Hall

Parking: Free parking at St Clement Parish Hall

Guide: Johnathan Bull, local historian

This is a two hour walk, please wear good walking shoes.

University of York and Jersey Heritage guided tour of Elizabeth Castle excavation and WWII fortifications

The Elizabeth Castle project will continue its excavation of the fascinating lost Long Barracks on the Green, seeking to address a number of questions raised during last year’s dig. Having documented the Hospital in 2018, this year the Buildings Archaeology and Conservation teams will be examining the castle's WWII sites (including personnel bunkers, casemates, and gun emplacements). As well as recording these sites, we will consider their condition, and how they might be interpreted and presented to the public.

Normal entrance fees will apply if you wish to visit the rest of the castle and you are not a member of the Société Jersiaise or Jersey Heritage.

Date: Sunday 14 July

Time: 9.30am at West Park slipway for 10 at the castle

Price: Free entrance provided by Jersey Heritage

Meet: West Park slip at 9.30

Parking: Free at car parks in town

Guide: Dav Smith, Associate Lecturer in Archaeology

Wear good waterproof walking shoes

A unique tour of the archaeology galleries at La Hougue Bie Museum with Olga Finch, Curator of Archaeology with Jersey Heritage

Olga has been curator since 1994 and has also worked on many excavations in Jersey including being Assistant Director of the major excavations carried out at La Hougue Bie in the 1990s. Olga will tour the galleries using the objects to tell Jersey’s amazing archaeological stories from the Ice Age at La Cotte de St Brelade, 250,000 years ago to the Iron Age and the incredible Le Catillon II coin hoard discovery - giving background details about the excavations and the significance of the many objects on display.

Date: Tuesday 16 July

Time: 7.30pm

Price: Free

Meet: La Hougue Bie

Parking: Free parking at La Hougue Bie or in the field next door

Guide: Olga Finch, Curator, Jersey Heritage

Talk/workshop by local Osteologist, Rosalind Le Quesne

What can human bones tell us about past people's lives? How were Jersey people living and dying centuries ago? Join our osteoarchaeologist, Rosalind Le Quesne, for a lesson in reading the bones!

Date: Thursday 18 July

Time: 7.30pm

Price: Free

Meet: Société Jersiaise, Pier Road

Parking: Free at Pier Road car park

Guide: Rosalind Le Quesne

Archaeological Field Walk

Frank Falle, local historian, has kindly allowed us to conduct a field walk as part of this festival. On an archaeological field walk, the area to be investigated is divided into large pegged-out squares. Each participant walks up and down inside their square, checking the ground surface for any small finds. The position of finds is then recorded to make a finds map of the area. This gives a good indication of where and what type of past activities have been occurring. An archaeologist will be on hand to help you identify finds. You can stay for as little or as much time as you like between 11:00-15:00.

Date: Saturday 20 July

Time: 11am to 3pm

Price: Free

Meet: The field to the west of La Hougue Bie main entrance

Parking: Free in the field to the west of La Hougue Bie

Guide: Société Jersiaise Archaeology Section

Grade: Rough. Wear good walking shoes

La Collette Martello tower and barracks

We are delighted to say that the Jersey Field Squadron have kindly agreed to us visiting Le Collette Barracks and Tower. The barracks pre-date the tower by some 30 years. The walk will be led by Frank Falle, local historian, who will place the barracks and tower into the chronology of Jersey's history, in addition to providing a technical background to their architecture and construction.

Date: Sunday 21 July

Time: 2 - 4pm

Price: Free

Meet: Small car park / turning area at the top of Mount Bingham

Parking: Free at Pier Road car park

Guide: Frank Falle, Local Historian

Grade: Easy

On Sorrowful Tides: Jersey and the loss of HMS Charybdis and HMS Limbourne, October 1943 – talk by Ian Ronayne

The small war cemetery in Howard Davis Park is a beautiful resting place for those Allied servicemen who died on and around Jersey during the Second World War. The majority share the same date of death, 23 October 1943, and served in the same Royal Navy ship, HMS Charybdis. In this talk, local military historian Ian Ronayne will retell the story of HMS Charybdis and its doomed crew. He will examine how it was these men came to be buried in Jersey and how islanders and occupiers dealt with the sensitive matter of commemorating those viewed as both friends and enemies.

Date: Tuesday 23 July

Time: 7pm

Price: Free

Meet: Société Jersiaise, 7 Pier Road, St Helier

Parking: Free at Pier Road car park

Guide: Ian Ronayne, Local Historian

Grade: Easy

St Saviour’s church graveyard

The graveyard contains a wealth of historical characters with interesting histories, ranging from Lillie Langtry to aristocratic French Revolution refugees. The Reverend Peter Dyson was barely able to scratch the surface at last year’s Festival, so we’re back again for the next instalment, and to find out what else he has uncovered about his long gone parishioners. He says there are three royal scandals linked with the churchyard, together with a regicide who signed Charles I’s death warrant – oh, and a Bailiff accused of judicial murder….

Date: Tursday 25 July

Time: 5.30pm

Price: Free

Meet: St Saviour’s church

Parking: Free at St Saviour’s church and by the Parish Hall across the road

Guide: Reverend Peter Dyson

Grade: Easy, although uneven off the paths

Open evening at La Hougue Bie

Jersey Heritage have very kindly opened up this ancient site to offer a free evening for all. Enter into one of Europe’s finest passage graves, and visit the recently completed Long House. Discover Jersey’s Neolithic history at this tranquil and spiritual heritage site. Visit the medieval chapel or stroll the grounds to explore Jersey’s archaeological history and WWII German Command Bunker. The museum exhibitions include the world’s largest Celtic coin hoard, with its gold torques and silver ingots. Experts are on hand to discuss every aspect of this wonderful site with you.

Date: Saturday 27 July

Time: 6.30pm to 8pm

Price: Free

Meet: La Hougue Bie

Parking: Free at La Hougue Bie

Guide: Various guides

Grade: Easy in general, but can be uneven

La Cotte de St Brelade and exploring the Neanderthal landscapes of the English Channel

Not only is La Cotte one of the archaeological treasures of the Channel Islands, it is also one of the principle Palaeolithic sites in Europe. Dr Matt Pope, from University College London, is again in the island to explore our prehistoric past. This is an exciting opportunity to learn from members of a major team working on one of the UK’s most influential sites. The deposits found there contain hundreds and thousands of Neanderthal stone tools, together with their animal prey which included herd animals like horse, mammoth, and reindeer. Over the 190,000 years when Neanderthals used la Cotte, the surrounding landscape changed dramatically.

Other Stuff

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